Abstract

Acne vulgaris is a chronic skin disease of multifactorial aetiology. Combination therapy may expedite treatment duration and minimise the adverse effects in turn improving patient compliance. The study was done to compare efficacy and tolerability of topical monotherapy with 2.5 % benzoyl peroxide vs. topical combination therapy with 0.1 % adapalene and 2.5 % benzoyl peroxide. A comparative, randomized, open label, parallel group study was conducted after obtaining approval from the institutional ethics committee, 80 patients fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled for the study after obtaining informed consent or assent. Patients were randomly allocated into 2 equal study groups. Group A received topical benzoyl peroxide 2.5 % and group B received a combination of topical benzoyl peroxide 2.5 % and adapalene 0.1 %. They were followed up at 4th, 8th, 12th w. Reduction in non-inflammatory lesion count (49.3 % vs. 63.5 %), reduction in inflammatory lesion count (23.9 % vs. 29.2 %) and reduction in total lesion count (54.1 % vs. 67.7 %) was observed at the end of 12 w. Significantly greater mean percentage reduction of non-inflammatory, inflammatory and total acne lesion count was seen in group B than group A at the end of study by 12 w (p<0.001 for all types of lesion counts). The tolerability profile in both the groups was similar. Reduction in non-inflammatory and inflammatory lesions was more in group B compared to group A, whereas tolerability profile was indifferent.